The Green Bay Packers might very well keep or even extend head coach Matt LaFleur. After all, he led the team to the playoffs in six of his seven seasons in Green Bay.

But after the 31-27 loss to the Chicago Bears, in which the Packers went to halftime leading 21-3, it’s never been more reasonable to look for options elsewhere.

Now, we’re going to search for external options — defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley would be a natural alternative, but he was a part of the current staff, the defense allowed 28 second-half points, and we already know his strengths and weaknesses very well at this point.

Robert Saleh

The San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator had a failed head-coaching experience with the New York Jets, but it’s fair to say it’s more about the franchise — see how the team went after Saleh was fired. He is a close friend of LaFleur and spent some time as a consultant for the Packers in 2024.

As with any defensive-minded head coach, the big question lies regarding his offensive plan. His initial offensive coordinator with the Jets was Matt’s brother, Mike LaFleur. If the Packers could create a Robert Saleh/Mike McDaniel package, that could be intriguing.

Klint Kubiak

Current offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks and son of former NFL head coach Gary Kubiak, Klint has been working in the NFL since 2013, for the Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, and Seahawks.

He was a passing game coordinator for the Niners before these past two experiences as a play-calling offensive coordinator. Usually, the Packers look for his profile: an up-and-coming offensive mind.

Jesse Minter

Minter is one of the top head coaching candidates of his cycle, and there would be a lot of competition if the Packers wanted him. He worked four seasons as a position coach for the Baltimore Ravens before moving to college, but returned to the NFL with Jim Harbaugh.

Beyond the Xs and Os, Minter is also a strong leader. Once again, the big question is who would be his offensive coordinator — and how sustainable an offense can be in the long run with the potential of a coordinator becoming a head coach elsewhere.

Joe Brady

A 36-year-old coach, Brady transformed the LSU passing offense in 2019 and became a hot name in NFL circles. His stint on the Carolina Panthers wasn’t great, but he was probably a scapegoat for Matt Rhule.

On the Bills, he has Josh Allen, but also an obvious talent deficit at wide receiver, and the offense was still third in EPA/play this season. He doesn’t have any type of experience as a head coach, so you aren’t sure until he gets the job, but the resume is impressive.

John Harbaugh

This is more like an option that has to be here, but it’s hard to imagine the Packers wanting a super-powerful head coach — rumors are that Harbaugh wants a lot of money and full control to take a team over.

More than that, he is 63 and has a special teams background, forcing him to find play-calling coordinators on both sides of the ball. Todd Monken could be the offensive option, but the Ravens were 13th in EPA/play (much worse than the Packers), and there were questions around Monken’s relationship with quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Green Bay Packers News

Jordan Love sets record straight on Matt LaFleur’s job security following a heartfelt playoff loss that leaves the Packers searching for answers

Matt LaFleur has one year left on his contract.

Wendell Ferreira